Any idea where we might find this place? (price, malls)

[DancingOnTheDeck]

Within the next three to five years, my family and I will be looking to move--hopefully for the last time. These are the criteria for our perfect place. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

--Four seasons leaning warmer rather than colder

--Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities

--Reasonably-priced land near an area with ample job opportunities

--Low incidence of Lyme Disease

--Reasonably-educated population with a diversity of political thought (ie. not particularly right or left leaning)

--Green rather than brown landscape (ie. we would probably not be happy in the desert)

--Low to moderate crime

--Somewhere young people don't flee as soon as they graduate

--A propensity toward Mom and Pop (rather than chain) businesses

We would prefer that this place be somewhere near the ocean (either coast) and also not too far from mountains. Lacking either one of these would not be a deal breaker. A little culture and lack of strip malls would definitely be a plus.

Thank you so much!

[EnricoV]

Portland or Seattle would fit the bill, except for the "Four seasons leaning warmer rather than colder." But I'm not sure how you will find that requirement with the "Green rather than brown landscape." Those are generally counter to one another.

[ckhthankgod]

I was thinking that somewhere just outside of Richmond VA or perhaps VA locales like Farmville or Charlottesville.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I was thinking that somewhere just outside of Richmond VA or perhaps VA locales like Farmville or Charlottesville.

Great minds indeed think alike.

Winston-Salem, NC also came to mind.

[portlanderinOC]

Some areas around the Bay Area would be perfect, like Petaluma, Sonoma, or Santa Rosa. However they are quite expensive and commutes can be lengthly.

Some areas in Southern Oregon, like Medford and Ashland could do, as they aren't as rainy as Portland or Eugene and don't get as cold.

Wilmington in North Carolina might actually work if you can put up with some humidity, but they get ocean breezes in the summer to keep it feeling cooler.

[dyplorus]

Originally Posted by DancingOnTheDeck

Within the next three to five years, my family and I will be looking to move--hopefully for the last time. These are the criteria for our perfect place. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

--Four seasons leaning warmer rather than colder

--Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities

--Reasonably-priced land near an area with ample job opportunities

--Low incidence of Lyme Disease

--Reasonably-educated population with a diversity of political thought (ie. not particularly right or left leaning)

--Green rather than brown landscape (ie. we would probably not be happy in the desert)

--Low to moderate crime

--Somewhere young people don't flee as soon as they graduate

--A propensity toward Mom and Pop (rather than chain) businesses

We would prefer that this place be somewhere near the ocean (either coast) and also not too far from mountains. Lacking either one of these would not be a deal breaker. A little culture and lack of strip malls would definitely be a plus.

Thank you so much!

You want to find a place that has all this at the same time? I can't think of one place other than .....well I actually can't..

[DancingOnTheDeck]

Originally Posted by dyplorus

You want to find a place that has all this at the same time? I can't think of one place other than .....well I actually can't..

Ha ha! Well, then you're in exactly the same predicament we are! This is our "ideal"--we're coming to the conclusion that it probably doesn't exist, but I figured I'd give it one more shot.

The folks who suggested areas in VA--great minds do indeed think alike (not that mine's so great ). We've come to the conclusion that that area (or possibly somewhere in NC) is a good fit for us. It's just that, after a run-in with a deer tick and a Lyme Disease diagnosis last year for my son (thankfully, fully recovered), we were hoping to get away from the little critters altogether. Since it seems like the mid-Atlantic meets most of our other criteria, we will probably just have to learn to deal with them.

Sonoma is, indeed, gorgeous. Oh, if we could only afford it...

Thanks folks!